Stolen by the Sea - Softcover

Myers, Anna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1493723723 ISBN 13: 9781493723720

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014

Synopsis

The worst hurricane in American history is headed for Maggie’s Texas home... Maggie McKenna loves the sea, as well as swimming in the gulf and walking the seashore with her father. Sharing him with her unborn sibling and Felipe, a hired orphan, seems an impossible task. When Papa takes Mama to Houston to see the doctor, Maggie is left behind. Soon she is facing the battle of her life when one of the most powerful hurricanes of the century ravages Galveston, destroying homes and lives in a powerful and violent flood. Her only chance at surviving is to join forces with Felipe as they try to ride out the storm together.

About this title

About the Author

Anna Myers is the author of a number of novels for middle readers, and the only two-time winner of the Oklahoma Book Award. She lives in Chandler, Oklahoma.

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-In the flourishing port of Galveston, TX, 1900, Maggie McKenna grapples with inner storms of jealousy. Her mother is pregnant, and the 12-year-old worries that the baby will be her father's much-wished-for son. Maggie also resents the time he spends with Felipe Ortega, a teenager from St. Mary's orphanage who is employed by the family. In early September, the waters of the sea begin to rise, and the worst hurricane of the century devastates the prosperous seaport. When Maggie and Felipe, trapped on the top floor of the McKenna household, rescue several children and a nun from the orphanage, rivalry and resentment are forgotten in the struggle to survive. Sister Genevieve tells Maggie that there is much for her to do in her lifetime, and as the girl deals with the aftermath of the storm, including the death of Felipe's sister, these words sustain her. Some beautifully crafted sentences capture the emotions of an adolescent who struggles between shameful feelings and noble impulses. Unfortunately, the narrative is sometimes uneven and detours into events and descriptions that detract from the main plot. Chapter three abruptly shifts to the perspective of Felipe, and then back to Maggie for the remainder of the story. Fans of Peg Kehret's books will enjoy this title, and those who want more information about the Galveston hurricane should try Erik Larson's nonfiction title, Isaac's Storm (Crown, 2001).

Farida S. Dowler, formerly at Bellevue Regional Library, WA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1493723723
• ISBN 13: 9781493723720
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 138